[sopp]

In most large cities squatting cannot be a longer term solution, as it often doesnt take long to be explused from a place (in paris for example squats stay around from 2 to 6 months on average if you are lucky enough to manage to secure the place for the first week or so). Also depending on who runs and occupies the building, it might actually not always be a safe/sane housing option neither.

[specialist]

Agree with all.

My open question wrt to squatting is the potential to incentivize keeping real estate in active use. If "use it or lose it" is official policy, it might help mitigate hoarding.

A bit like some cities are now penalizing unoccupied condos, where investors buy up condos and then don't even rent them out.